Socket contact



Nov. 22, 1949 c. J. ADAMS 2,483,652

SOCKET CONTACT Filed Nov. 29, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 22, 1949 Filed NOV. 29, 1945 0. J. ADAMS 2,488,652

SOCKET CONTACT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NOV. 22, 1949 c, D s 2,488,652

SOCKET CONTACT Filed Nov. 29, 1945 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F .d/z,

Patented Nov. 22 1949 socnn'r CONTACT Charles J. Adams, Park Ridge, n1.

Application November 29, 1945, Serial No. 631,690

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in electrical. connectors for the reception of push-in devices such as radio tubes and comprises subject matter related to my issued Patent No. 2,453,826, dated November 16, 1948. The present invention is more particularly concerned with the provision of electrical connectors embodying socket contacts of. the wrap-around type adapted to receive cooperating rplug contact elements.

1 An object of the present invention is to provide an improved socket contact which may be inexpensively stamped and formed from resilient sheet metal to providea wrap-around contact portion and a depending terminal portion.

It is a further object oct this invention to provide a socket contact having a corrugated wraparound contact portion to provide a plurality of alternate parallel ridges and grooves, said ridges being disposed for line contact engagement with a. cooperating plug element, and the metallic section defining each of said grooves serving to yieldably resist relative movement of said ridge portions.

It is a further object of this invention to pro vide a socket contact having a relatively large metal section for greater conductivity, thereby adapting the contact for use with higher currents without causing objectionable increases inv operating temperature.

, The present invention further contemplates a socket contact of the wrap-around contact type having four or more points of contacting engagement with :a cooperating plug contact element, depending upon the diameter of said plug contactelement, the four points of contact being provided by a contact base portion and three ridge portions preferably arranged at 90 from each other about the axis of the cooperating plug element. However, it is contemplated that more than three ridge portions may be formed on the corrugated wrap-around contact portion on larger sizes of socket contacts. A corrugated wrap-around contact of. the type hereinafter described provides an improved electrical contact engagement with. a cooperating plug element and is not readily sprung beyond its elastic limits.

This invention further contemplates the provision of a socket contact which may readily be mounted for use in an insulating socket body. After the socket contact has been mounted in its. socket body, an offset flange provided on the tor-- minal portion. of the socket contactis. bent into the plane of the. terminal portion to. secure the socket contact in assembled relation with the. socket body.

The present invention further contemplates the provision of an improved insulating socket body provided with a socket contact chamber terminating at a back 'wall which is slotted to receive the terminal portion of the socket contact. Theslot formed. in the back wall of the insulating.

socket body conforms to the normal shape of the. terminal portion of the contact socket... After assembly, .a flange provided on the side or the terminal portion is bent into alignment therewith. to secure the socket contact. against longitudinal displacement from, the insulating socket body.

This invention embodies other novel features, details of construction and arrangement or parts which are hereinafter set forth in the specification and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showing a socket contact embodying features of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan. view of same.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank employed .forforming the socket contact illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is :a fragmentary view illustrating the. method of mounting a socket contact in assembled relation with an insulating socket body.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view showing an insulating socket body embodying features of thisinvention.

Fig. 6 is a front view of same.

Fig. 7 is a rear view of the insulating socket body.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8--8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9- is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the insulating socket body showing the open.-- 1izngtprovided therein to receive the socket conac I Fig. 10' is a perspective View showing, a modified; form of socket contact in which the groove 'portions of the contact extend beyond the; ridge portions. to facilitate insertion. of a cooperating plug; contact element.

. Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view illustrating the method of mounting the modified form. of socket contact in assembled relation with an. insulating, socket body.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the blank for forming the socket contact illustrated in Figs. IO-an-d. 11.

Referring now to the drawings. -for a better understanding of this invention, the socket contact'illustrated in Figs. 1. 2, 3 and 4 isshown as comprising "a sheet metal stamping H. formed toprovide a contact portion I2 and a terminalipon im. l3. fil hecontact portion it of the. mane around type and is corrugated to provide a plurality of alternate parallel ridge portions I4 and groove portions IS, the ridges being disposed for line contact engagement with a, cooperating plug contact element. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the contact portion I2 may be formed with three parallel ridges I4 disposed for line contact engagement with a cooperating plug contact element I1, and the ridges are preferably spaced 90 apant on relatively small socket contacts to coact with each other and with a flat base portion I8 to form a four-point line contact. However, it is contemplated that the contact portion I2 may be provided with a greater number of ridge portions I4 for engagement with larger diameter plug contact elements. To facilitate insertion of a cooperating plug element II, the ridge portions I4 are flared outwardly at 3 I In the form of socket contact illustrated in Fig. 4, it will be noted that the four points of line contact engagement are arranged in pairs diametrically opposed to each other to efiect 'a maximum clamping engagement with the plug contact element II. It will further be noted that the sections of the contact portion defining the grooves IB serve to yieldably resist relative movement of the adjacent ridge portions I4. In other words, the metal sections between adjacent ridge portions I4 serve to yieldably resist opening of the contact portion I2, and that this type of construction permits the insertion of oversize cooperating plug members without overcoming the elastic limits of the material forming the contact portion I2. It will thus be noted that socket contacts of this type have a relatively long service life, and will not readily get out of order or fail to provide an adequate electrical connection with a cooperating plug contact element.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 4 in the drawings, it will be observed that the terminal portion I3 is in alignment with the base portion I8 of the contact portion I2, and that the terminal portion is provided with a side flange 2| offset from the plane of the terminal portion prior to final assembly with an insulatinng socket body of the type hereinafter described.

Figs. through 9 illustrate an improved insulating socket body of a type commonly employed for the reception of plug-in devices such as radio tubes. A plurality of openings 22 are disposed at spaced intervals about the longitudinal axis of the socket body to receive the contact portions l2 of the socket contacts, and it will :be noted that the openings 22 are closed at their inner ends by a back wall 23 which is slotted at 24 to receive the terminal portions I3 of the socket contacts. The slots 24 conform to the contour of the terminal portions I3 and their respective ofiset flange portions 2|. 7 A recess 26' is provided to extend along the side wall of each opening 22 to receive and enclose the free side edge of the flat base portion I8 to prevent rotational movement of the socket contact about its longitudinal axis, and to Provide an adequate cross-sectional area adapted for electrical conduction without interference with free spring action of the wraparound portion I 2.

In assembly of the electrical connector, the socket contacts areinserted into their respective openings 22 with their terminal portions I3 projecting through the slots 24 provided in the back wall 23. The flange portions 2! are then bent into the plane of their terminal [portion I3, as indicated by the dotted outline of same in'Fig. 4. The flange portions 2| are thus moved out of 4 alignment with their respective slots 24 and into abutting engagement with the back wall 23 oi the insulating socket body to lock the socket contacts against axial displacement.

Figs. 10 and 11 in the drawings illustrate a modified form of socket contact formed from a sheet metal blank, of the type shown in Fig. 11, to provide a wrap-around contact portion 33 and a terminal portion 34. The contact portion 33 is corrugated to form a plurality of ridge portions 36 and groove portions 31, the ridge portions being disposed -for line contact engagement with a cooperating plug contact element I1. 'I he terminal portion 34 is in alignment with the flat base portion 38 forming part of the wrap-around contact portion 33. A side flange 39 is formed at one side of the terminal portion and ofiset from the plane thereof for insertion through a slot 24 in the insulating socket body 20, said flange being adapted to be bent into the plane of the terminal pontion during assembly with an insulating socket body in the manner and for the purpose heretofore described in connection with the description of the other form of socket contact.

It will be noted that the modified form of socket contact illustrated in Figs. 10 to 12 is formed "with a serrated edge 4| to provide a plurality of relatively large teeth 42 at the opening of the wrap-around contact portion 33. During the forming of the wrap-around portion 33, the teeth 42 are disposed at the ends of the groove portions 3'! in order that the inwardly converging side edges 43 of adjacent teeth may serve to guide a cooperating plug element I'I into electrical engagement between the ridge portions 36.

In the manufacture of electrical connectors of the type shown and described, it will be noted that the socket contact may be inexpensively stamped and formed from resilient sheet metal to provide a contact having adequate cross sectional area for electrical conduction without interference with the spring action of the wraparound portion I2, that the contact portion I2 provides an effective electrical contacting engagement with a cooperating pl-ug contact element. and that the alternate parallel ridge and groove construction insures a relatively long service life as the metal sections thereof will not readily be sprung beyond their elastic limits through normal use. It will 'further be noted that the insulating socket body may be inexpensively formed, and may readily be assembled with the several socket contact elements by merely bending the offset flange portions 2i into alignment with their respective terminal portions I3 by any suitable means. After the insulating socket body and socket contacts have thus been assembled, the socket contacts are positively retained against either axial or rotational displacement.

While this invention has been shown in but two forms, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and. scope of the claimed invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a sheet metal socket contact having a wrap-around contact portion to receive a cooperating plug contact member of substantially circular cross-section, said contact ortion being substantially rectangular in cross-section and having each of three of its sides provided with a single indentation along a longitudinal line to form an inwardly extending longitudinal crest intermediate each of said sides to make line contact along said crests with the circular plug contact member, the lateral edge of said wrap -:around portion being spaced from the remaining part of said contact portion throughout its length to provide a resilient force urging said crests into contact with said plug contact member.

2. A socket contact comprising a contact portion and a terminal portion, said socket contact being constructed of resilient sheet material, the contact portion being in generally tubular form and having circumferentially spaced axially disposed ribs adapted for line contact with a substantially circular male member insertable in said contact portion, said tubular contact portion being provided with a longitudinal slit and one lateral edge defining said slit being disposed adjacent to and resiliently separable from the remaining edge-defining portion of the slit whereby said ribs resiliently contact the male element along a plurality of parallel lines throughout substantially the entire length of said ribs, an end edge of said tubular contact portion being serrated, the crests Of said serrations occurring in staggered relationship to said contacting ribs.

3. In a sheet metal socket contact having a contact portion of generally cylindrical form to receive a cooperating plug contact member of substantially circular cross section, said contact portion being substantially rectangular in cross section and having a relatively fiat side and three remaining sides, each of a plurality of said remaining sides being indented inwardly along a longitudinal line to form an inwardly extending longitudinal crest intermediate said respective side to make line contact along said crests and along said flat side with the circular plug contact member, said generally cylindrical contact 5 portion being provided with a longitudinal slit, one lateral edge defining said slit being separable from the remaining lateral edge defining said slit throughout the entirelength of said contact portion to provide a resilient force Iurging said 10 crests and fiat side into contact with said plug contact member.

CHARLES J. ADAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,603,680 Gagnon Oct. 19, 1926 1,696,406 Masley et a1 Dec. 25, 1928 2,028,035 Anderson Jan. 14, 1936 2,086,522 Bergstrom July 13, 1937 2,127,556 Eby Aug. 23, 1938 2,200,332 Henning May 14, 1940 2,233,718 Soreng Mar. 4, 1941 2,444,433 Erb July 6, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 327,511 Great Britain Apr. 10, 1930 564,889 Germany Nov. 24, 1932 637,065 Germany Oct. 21, 1936 799,400 France Apr. 4, 1936 

